AWS Execution via System Manager

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Identifies the execution of commands and scripts via System Manager. Execution methods such as RunShellScript, RunPowerShellScript, and alike can be abused by an authenticated attacker to install a backdoor or to interact with a compromised instance via reverse-shell using system only commands.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

  • filebeat-*
  • logs-aws*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 10 minutes

Searches indices from: now-60m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Cloud
  • AWS
  • Continuous Monitoring
  • SecOps
  • Log Auditing

Version: 6 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.9.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.13.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Potential false positives

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Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment. Suspicious commands from unfamiliar users or hosts should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.

Investigation guide

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## Config

The AWS Fleet integration, Filebeat module, or similarly structured data is required to be compatible with this rule.

Rule query

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event.dataset:aws.cloudtrail and event.provider:ssm.amazonaws.com and
event.action:SendCommand and event.outcome:success

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version history

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Version 6 (7.13.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 5 (7.12.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 4 (7.11.2 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 3 (7.11.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 2 (7.10.0 release)
  • Updated query, changed from:

    event.module:aws and event.dataset:aws.cloudtrail and
    event.provider:ssm.amazonaws.com and event.action:SendCommand and
    event.outcome:success